Car-coupling



Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. C. A. TOWER. GAR COUPLING- (No Model!) No. 484,125.. Patented Oct. 11, 1892.

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O. A. TOWER. GAR COUPLING N0. 484,125. Patented Oct. 11, 189.2.

mi 'ATTORNEY tween its ends bya pin C to one of the bifur- UNrr STATES ATENT Erica.

CLINTON A. TOWVER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO .THE EMPIRE CAR COUPLER COMPANY, OF WEEHAVVKEN, NEW JERSEY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,125, dated October 11, 1892.

Application filed March 14, 1892. Serial No. 424,757. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLINTON A. TOWER, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

I will describe a car-coupler embodying my improvement, and then point out the novel features in a claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of a draw-head embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken at the plane of the dotted line w 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a dog or block and appurtenances.

Similar letters of reference designate cor-' responding parts in all the figures.

A designates a draw-head. As shown, it is pivoted at its forward extremity. It has a shank or bar a, which may be fastened to a car in the ordinary manner.

B designates a knuckle of the draw-head. It consists of an elbow-lever fulcrumed becate extremities of the draw-head. The outer portion of the knuckle B is forked, so that an ordinary coupling-link may beinserted within it, and is provided with holes for the reception of an ordinary couplingpin. The inner part of the knuckle is shown as tapering to- Ward its extremity and at the extremity is rounded on its under side, and also on that side which is foremost when this end of the coupler swings into the draw-head, the object of thus rounding the extremity being to enable it to automatically force back a dog or block D, by which it is to be retained when in use. The dog or block D extends upwardly from a rock-shaft D. This rock-shaft D has abearing at one end in a projection 01,, formed in the draw-head, and is supported at the other end by passing through and fitting a hole in the side of the draw-head. Its outer end is provided with an arm cl, whereby it may be rocked. The upper end of the dog or block when in an operative position fits between two projections a a whereby it is sustained against lateral strain. A bridge a may extend between the projection a and the projection a to aid in sustaining the dog or block laterally. It will be seen that the forward corner of the dog or block is rounded, so that when the inner end of the knuckle contacts with it the dog or block will be forced rearwardly to allow the passage of the knuckle beyond it. The arm d'forms acounter-weight which will always bring the dog or block to its operative position when permitted to do so. A pin a on the exterior of the draw-head prevents the arm 01 from dropping too far down.

If the opening in the side of the draw-head through which the rock-shaft D passes be suitably shaped and the rook-shaft and its appurtenances are made of malleable metal, the latter may be introduced into place, andafterward the arm 01 maybe bent into the position in which it is illustrated in the drawings to prevent it from assuming a position which will permit of the removal of the rock-shaft with the dog or block.

It will be seen that an essential feature of my present improvement is a dog or block which is carried by and moved with a rockshaft.

By my improvement I produce a very simple and efficientmeans for coupling cars and one which will not be liable to get out of order. The forward end of the arm d may have connected to it a chain or analogous contrivance for enabling the attendant of a car to release the coupling. A chain may also be connected between this arm or another arm .85

and a portion of the car, so that in the event of the detachment of the draw-bar through any accident its first forward movement will cause the dog or block to be rocked backward far enough to release the knuckle and disengage the draw-head from the one belonging to the next forward car. This will obviate accidents liable to occur from the falling ofv a draw-head down upon the road-bed.

What I claim as my invention, to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with a draw-head and a knuckle consisting of a bell-crank lever fuland desire crurned thereto, 01: a dog or block for directly engaging With the knuckle, a rock-shaft from which said dog or block extends, and an arm connected with the rock-shaft outside the draw-head, constituting a counter-balance for returning the dog or block to its normal position, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of' two subscribing witnesses.

CLINTON A. TOWER.

Witnesses:

FRANK A. FOX, HENRY J. ELLEN. 

